Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Belief Media

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  • nzlemming, in reply to Carol Stewart,

    I've never met a non-genuine one.

    I've met one or two who follow the form but aren't necessarily nice people. And one who was so non-violenter-than-thou that I just wanted to hit him on general principle. But mostly you're correct.

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report Reply

  • Martin Lindberg, in reply to nzlemming,

    And one who was so non-violenter-than-thou that I just wanted to hit him on general principle.

    I get like that with some vegans.

    Stockholm • Since Jul 2009 • 802 posts Report Reply

  • Ross Mason,

    Upper Hutt • Since Jun 2007 • 1590 posts Report Reply

  • Lilith __, in reply to nzlemming,

    so non-violenter-than-thou

    There is a vegan of my acquaintance who is an enthusiastic advocate for the death penalty for a wide range of crimes. I also know some very sweet-natured and reasonable vegans, but like any more extreme lifestyle, it attracts the space cadets.

    One thing I really admire about the Quakers/Friends I know is how consistent they are. They don’t just pay lip-service to kindness and social justice – community service is an important part of what they do.

    Dunedin • Since Jul 2010 • 3895 posts Report Reply

  • Martin Lindberg, in reply to Lilith __,

    There is a vegan of my acquaintance who is an enthusiastic advocate for the death penalty for a wide range of crimes.

    Like eating meat?

    Stockholm • Since Jul 2009 • 802 posts Report Reply

  • Lilith __, in reply to Martin Lindberg,

    Like eating meat?

    No. And I'm not at all anti-vegan, it's just nice when people are consistent in their principles. If you're going to be kind to animals, I think it makes sense to be kind to people, too.

    Dunedin • Since Jul 2010 • 3895 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Craig Ranapia,

    And I think we’ve seen the political uses and abuses of treating an estimated 1.6 billion Muslims – an incredibly diverse population spread across the face of the planet – as some homogeneous mass of malignant lunatics.

    I keep meaning to respond to this micro-thread. I think you're right in the sense that the Christian voices who get most of the airtime are not very representative of general people of faith -- McCroskie, Maxim, Tamaki -- and lot does lot to shape perceptions.

    But I don't think that's necessarily down to an undifferentiated picture of Christianity. When Whakahuihui Vercoe had his "world without gays" moment, that was presented as an issue for the Anglican church, not others. What it's more down to is the bad habit of going to rentaquotes like McCroskie, op-ed factories like Maxim and freaks like Tamaki. (In that context, I can kind of understand why St Matthew's in the City adopted its shock-tactic style.)

    Of our panelists on tonight's show (9.05pm, TVNZ 7), Richard Randerson is still a voice of the Anglican church and of the establishment, but Lavinia describes Challenge Weekly as a Christian newspaper, while readily granting that juggling the views and interests of various denominations and churches is perennially difficult. And the Christian Broadcasting Association has it in the name.

    As I said here last night (and on Pat Brittenden's Rhema show this morning), it was a useful and pleasant experience to talk with decent, articulate people when so much of my focus on Christianity tends to be going WTF? at lunatic American evangelists and their local analogues.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Islander, in reply to Lilith __,

    I'd add- if you're not being kind to animals in general - and I am not taking a poke at meateaters (I eat birds & fish)- you also wont be kind to our species.

    I cant quite understand where that vegan is coming from...

    (All the long-term vegans I know (4) are also pacifists and totally non-violent. And, yep, they dont consume or use anything of animal origin (including leather, silk or cochineal.) The very idea of advocating for the death penalty for anything would cause them grief.)

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    And were it not a breach of a court order and someone's privacy, I would tell you exactly why I think Bob McCoskrie is a bad man.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Islander,

    (All the long-term vegans I know (4) are also pacifists and totally non-violent. And, yep, they dont consume or use anything of animal origin (including leather, silk or cochineal.) The very idea of advocating for the death penalty for anything would cause them grief.)

    Nearly all the vegans I know don't obviously embrace the wider politics, although I'm pretty sure none of them are National voters. They like a drink and a party as much as the rest of us, that's for sure.

    Thought: I would guess I've known three times as many female vegans as male.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • nzlemming, in reply to Russell Brown,

    And were it not a breach of a court order and someone's privacy, I would tell you exactly why I think Bob McCoskrie is a bad man.

    One day I am going to get you very, very drunk...

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report Reply

  • Islander, in reply to Russell Brown,

    Thought: I would guess I've known three times as many female vegans as male.

    Heh! Skews the ratio - 2 females & 2 males.

    nzlemming: I haz hoard of good single malts -would help in that good cause...

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report Reply

  • Jeremy Eade,

    It's hard not to dig jesus, especially if you have him as a childhood role model, he's ace.

    It's the end of summer too and it's a full moon. In pagan eyes its a big time too.
    Jesus is my favourite Jew. Yet the churches of jesus are incredibly quite dark places that he (Jesus) probably wouldn't even go to.

    That's of course my fantasy , more based on a correlation of what we know about him. The original Punk rocker.

    Christian religions and Jesus;(the 33 year old murdered carpenter) are two different topics

    auckland • Since Mar 2008 • 1112 posts Report Reply

  • Joe Wylie, in reply to Jeremy Eade,

    It's hard not to dig jesus, especially if you have him as a childhood role model, he's ace.

    OK to resurrect this then on account of it being Easter & all:

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to nzlemming,

    snap

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Joe Wylie,

    loved playing that track

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia, in reply to Russell Brown,

    What it's more down to is the bad habit of going to rentaquotes like McCroskie, op-ed factories like Maxim and freaks like Tamaki.

    Sure, and I think I could have made it a lot clearer that I'm certainly not in the camp that thinks there's some kind of secular media "war on religion". Before September 11 2001, I suspect there were a hell of a lot of journalists who knew sweet f.a. about Islam because it never crossed their minds that it would ever be relevant to know. Some cashed the reality check, others still haven't.

    A lot of my issues are just the failure to practice Round Reporting 101. Develop a wide range of sources (including at least on disinterested expert you can run things by) and make the effort to educate yourself. If nothing else, building your own knowledge base calibrates your bullshit detector because someone is going to try and play you sometime.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Lucy Stewart, in reply to Russell Brown,

    As I said here last night (and on Pat Brittenden's Rhema show this morning), it was a useful and pleasant experience to talk with decent, articulate people when so much of my focus on Christianity tends to be going WTF? at lunatic American evangelists and their local analogues.

    Living in America has been quite useful for ironing out my internal "X is religious? But they seemed so *normal*!" response. It hasn't gone away, exactly, but I'm learning to not assume that being non-religious as the default until told otherwise.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2105 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to nzlemming,

    And were it not a breach of a court order and someone’s privacy, I would tell you exactly why I think Bob McCoskrie is a bad man.

    One day I am going to get you very, very drunk…

    It’s unpublished information about assault cases he has commented on, which was known to him when he commented. I think he’s a scumbag.

    ETA: It would not be legally necessary, but your kind offer to get me very, very drunk is much appreciated. Islander's further suggestion that this be achieved with collected single malt whiskies is an excellent one.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to Emma Hart,

    Edisonnoside...

    It’s the up-side that allows for the down-side.

    that is so going on a tee shirt...
    and as good an explanation of the way the modern world works as any I've seen for a while...
    ...we perhaps live within an ever-changing spectrum of tolerance.

    Bettor viewing for all...
    <q> One year of Sky City’s shiny new pokies could, for example, easily pay for TVNZ 7’s annual budget.</>
    Now there's a good idea!
    Could they make it part of the Convention centre deal?

    Secular key...
    Christian is a handy descriptor, when starting to figure out which fork in the Abrahamic road some one (or group) has taken - our own little multiverse...

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • Bart Janssen, in reply to Russell Brown,

    your kind offer to get me very, very drunk is much appreciated. Islander's further suggestion that this be achieved with collected single malt whiskies is an excellent one.

    However I'd put it to y'all it's not necessary to sacrifice the whiskies - we already know McCoskrie is scum.

    That unfortunately means we'll need another excuse er reason ah heck lets just drink.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 4461 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Bart Janssen,

    cheers

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • nzlemming, in reply to Russell Brown,

    It would not be legally necessary,

    Legal schmegal ;-)

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report Reply

  • Lilith __, in reply to nzlemming,

    It would not be legally necessary, but your kind offer to get me very, very drunk is much appreciated,

    Legal schmegal ;-)

    You could lobby for a law change, lemming. ;-)

    Dunedin • Since Jul 2010 • 3895 posts Report Reply

  • Will de Cleene, in reply to Russell Brown,

    It’s unpublished information about assault cases he has commented on, which was known to him when he commented. I think he’s a scumbag.

    So every time McCroskrie appears in the media from now on, Satan pulls the wings off an angel. Got it.

    Raumati • Since Jul 2011 • 107 posts Report Reply

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